RNA

RNA, short for Ribonucleic Acid, is a molecule that is sort of like a messenger in our body. Its job is to take the instructions or blueprints from the DNA (the genetic material in our cells) and bring those instructions to where they are needed to make proteins.

Think of it like a recipe book. DNA is like the cookbook sitting on a shelf, and RNA is like the chef who comes along, reads the recipe, and then cooks up the meal.

RNA is made up of smaller building blocks called nucleotides, just like DNA is. But unlike DNA, RNA is usually single-stranded instead of double-stranded, which means it's shaped differently.

There are a few different types of RNA, but the most common one is messenger RNA (mRNA). This is the kind that carries the genetic instructions from the DNA to the ribosomes (the protein-making factories in our cells). There's also transfer RNA (tRNA), which helps the ribosomes put together the correct sequence of amino acids to make proteins.

Overall, RNA is an important molecule that helps our bodies read and use the genetic information stored in our DNA to build the proteins we need to function and survive.